Baishali Mukherjee (Kolkata) The long-standing face-off between the state government and the state governor over the issue of appointment of vice chancellors (VCs) in 31 state government universities has transformed into a full-blown war between the Trinamool Congress (TMC) which rules West Bengal and the governor — an appointee of the ruling BJP government at the Centre. This stand-off has also exposed the perilous state of Bengal’s higher education system. As they try to undermine each other, the future of state government universities remains in a limbo, with no permanent VCs in them for more than seven months. Now the stand-off between TMC and the BJP has gone into a tailspin with the governor terminating the appointment of Jadavpur University (JU, estb.1955) interim vice chancellor Buddhadeb Sau on December 23, a day before the JU convocation ceremony, and the state government directing him to “continue to exercise and perform his duties and hold the convocation,” which he did. But the twist in the tale is that Sau, professor of mathematics at JU was appointed interim VC by Governor C.V. Ananda Bose on August 17 despite his lack of ten years teaching experience which is mandatory for the post. At the time, the appointment had received heavy flak from TMC top guns. On December 19, Ananda Bose sent a letter directing JU not to hold the function because of ongoing legal battle over the appointment of interim VCs. Curiously, Governor Bose did not oppose convocations held at Kalyani University and Vidyasagar University, also managed by interim VCs. In response, a group of senior academics under the banner of the Educationist Forum released a press statement on December 23, targeting the Governor for his doublespeak and attempts to politicise the administration of universities in West Bengal. According to the senior academics, Ananda Bose’s JU convocation cancellation order revealed intention to carry forward the Sangh Parivar’s agenda of taking control of top-ranked higher ed institutions such as JU, JNU and Delhi University. University convocations at which degrees are conferred upon graduating students are held in high esteem by teachers and students alike the worldover. Jadavpur’s convocation traditionally staged on December 24 is a grand affair to which students and faculty look forward. Fortunately, JU’s convocation for 2022-23 graduating students was duly held on December 24 with full pomp and ceremony, Chancellor Bose’s stop order notwithstanding. Within academia, this confrontation between Governor Ananda Bose — the Centre’s appointee and the state’s TMC government — which has been playing out for the past seven months is being interpreted as a battle for the control of JU, West Bengal’s most prestigious university. Ranked #4 in the EducationWorld India Higher Education Rankings 2023-24 and #4 by the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) of the Union education ministry, JU has steadfastly carved out its own identity as a liberal and secular higher ed institution in which both TMC and BJP are striving to establish a firm foothold. With the political slugfest in JU attracting banner headlines in the…
